


The Box From That Day

by writinghomunculus



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Idiots in Love, Iwaizumi's POV, M/M, Not actually AU, Slow Burn, first actual iwaoi fic, i'm not sure what to tag, time capsule au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-12
Updated: 2015-12-12
Packaged: 2018-05-06 07:36:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5408402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writinghomunculus/pseuds/writinghomunculus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This time he sees things he hasn’t noticed before - wrappers of the favourite brand of ice cream they used to like, remnants of a living creature he couldn’t tell was what anymore.</p><p>Hajime wonders how deep in thought he had to be so as to not noticed the pungent smell of something dead earlier.</p><p> </p><p>OR</p><p> </p><p>The time capsule AU literally no one asked for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Box From That Day

 “Iwa-chan, do you remember?”

 

“That box we buried when we were eight…”

 

“Could you dig it up for me?"

 

“ ...I’m sorry we couldn’t do it together.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
  
  
  
  


 

Hajime opens the door softly, a greeting of ‘sorry for the intrusion’ leaving his lips.  Walking through the hallway decorated with family photos, Hajime makes his way to the end of the hall, opening the kitchen door. As he suspected, no one is at home.

 

Hajime rubs the nape of his neck, letting out a sigh. It felt odd for him to be here at Oikawa’s house without Oikawa himself. All these years of Oikawa being by his side has left him with a pang of an empty feeling in his chest as he returns here without his best friend.

 

Hajime shrugs his shoulders in an attempt to shake the feeling off. Hastily, he ignores the familiar echo of banter ringing in his ears, and makes his way to the back door.

 

Oikawa’s backyard. He remembers it well - the days he used to play with Oikawa here, back when they were six, with him catching bugs, occasionally chasing Oikawa around with one on the pretense that he just wanted to show it to him, venturing into the forest that lay just beyond the line of fence. He used to call Oikawa “Tou-chan” back then.

 

Here he stood, 12 long years later, fulfilling the promise he made with Oikawa 10 years before.

 

If Hajime were to be honest, he’s saddened that Tooru didn’t fulfill his.

 

Spotting the old Oak tree that they used to play under, Hajime straightens up his back. Now isn’t the time to think of that stupid Oikawa as if he’s dead, Hajime scolds himself. In truth, Oikawa had just gone to study at Kyoto University while Hajime got accepted into Tohoku University, much closer to where they lived in Miyagi. Still, Kyoto was much further from Miyagi than Tokyo was, and Hajime doesn’t expect to see Oikawa in a long time.

 

Hajime had gone with Oikawa’s parents to send their youngest son off at the train station. He hasn’t forgotten the favour Oikawa has asked.

 

Grabbing a shovel that leaned against the pale wall of the house, Hajime made his way to the Oak tree and started digging.

 

Initially, Hajime had declined, of course. When they were eight, they had promised to retrieve the buried box before they entered university. Hajime didn’t mind putting it off until after they graduated from university if it meant opening the box with Tooru by his side.

 

But there was something with the way Oikawa’s eyes were rimmed with red, and his voice tainted with sadness that made him comply. Granted, Oikawa was saying goodbye to his family (they were all very close-knit) and leaving to Kyoto on his own for the first time, but Hajime noticed the way his brows genuinely furrowed in nervousness. Perhaps Oikawa thought that Hajime would really punch him this time, not that that was far off the mark.

 

Eventually, Hajime had reluctantly agreed when he realized how much Oikawa really wanted him to do it. Even now, his movement was sluggish and he wasn’t wholeheartedly trying to dig for that flimsy old box.

 

When Hajime finally found the old box, the hazy memory he had of the box cleared instantly. 10 years had changed the box vastly. The color of the green box is duller than he remembers it to be, and the years of rain had rusted the metal box beyond recognition. He’s glad the box that eight-year-old Oikawa found wasn’t made of card.

Picking it up, Hajime realizes that what once was a slightly heavy box that he had to carry on his forearms, now became a box he could easily lift with his palm. Thinking about it for a moment, Hajime decides that it would be better to open the box indoors, especially since the clouds above-head had a dark undertone to them.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When he finally settles himself into the kitchen, Hajime runs his hand over the surface of the box. Against the pads of his fingers, he feels the bumpy texture created by the rust, collecting heavily at the seams of the box where the green paint was absent. Around the corners, paint had started to peel off, and it was only when Hajime _really_ stared at it did he realize that 10 years was a hell of a long time.

 

10 years ago, Hajime had probably still wet his bed. 10 years ago, he and Oikawa had only been friends for two years instead of twelve. 10 years ago, his dog Pachi was still alive. 10 years ago, Oikawa’s sister, Erica was only sixteen, still living in Miyagi with them, always bringing he and Oikawa out on adventures. 10 years ago, he had never thought of kissing Oikawa.

 

Shaking his head, Hajime threw that thought aside. Carefully, he tried to pry the metal box open, only to find it shut tight. Pressing his lips into a thin line, he tried again. When the box still wouldn’t budge, he became more forceful. A part of him was afraid that if he was to rough with the box, it would snap open and the something within it would break. He didn’t exactly remember everything they had put inside it, after all.

 

Finally, _finally_ , after countless of thoughts of just throwing the box on the floor in an attempt to open it, the sound of metal against metal echoed through the kitchen, and the rusty box laid open on top of the kitchen table.

 

Peering into the green box, Hajime didn’t know what it was he was supposed to find. Oikawa didn’t make it clear what he was to open the box _for_ , but supposed that there was a reason Oikawa had made a request from him, and that the answers he wanted would be found somewhere inside this dingy old thing.

 

Preparing himself mentally to face the unknown, and resolving to jab Oikawa in the gut if this ended up being one of his ridiculous whims, Hajime slowly observed the items in the box.

 

He can’t fathom how Oikawa had convinced him to make a time capsule together a decade ago.

 

The first item he spots are actually _patterned band aids_ stuck to the sides of the box. Hajime remembers them well, and before he knows what he’s doing his hand is outstretched and he runs the pad of his thumb against the pastel colors. The band aids were striped or dotted with watercolor, and Hajime vividly remembered them plastered on Oikawa’s face and body once when he fell down in the forest.

 

Being the big crybaby he was, Oikawa had wailed all the way back to his house. Thankfully, Erica had been around and she had bought these slightly more expensive band aids for situations like this. The pretty colors had helped eight-year-old Oikawa calm down, but he still sniffled even as they sat at the dining table, waiting for Erica to finish making hot chocolate for them both.

 

Wanting to cheer his best friend up, Hajime had done the unthinkable. He kissed Oikawa on the cheek, right underneath the beautiful pink of the patterned band aid. With surprise on his features, Oikawa’s fingertips flew up to gently touch his face, and his face immediately melted into a smile.

 

That had been the one and only time, Hajime remembers, that he did something as daring as kissing Tooru. It was a sweetly innocent gesture, long before he understood the feeling of wanting to kiss someone out of love.

 

Sighing softly, Hajime pushed the want of having soft lips against his own down to his stomach, and looked inside the box again.

 

This time he sees things he hasn’t noticed before - wrappers of the favourite brand of ice cream they used to like, remnants of a living creature he couldn’t tell was what anymore.

 

Hajime wonders how deep in thought he had to be so as to not noticed the pungent smell of something dead earlier.

 

Grabbing a bunch of tissues, he picked it up (Hajime couldn’t decide whether it was a rat or some kind of weird looking flower, but knowing Oikawa it probably wasn’t the former), and threw it away in the trash can, making a mental note to clear the rubbish as soon as he was done looking through the box.

 

Setting the ice cream wrappers aside, Hajime uncovered a bunch of matching ticket stubs. The ink on the printed paper had faded greatly, but if he concentrated enough, Hajime could still make out the words. He tried to find matching pairs, and realized what a collection he and Oikawa had hoarded for their then two years of friendship.

 

There were some that Hajime quickly glanced over before putting them aside in a neat pile he had created, while some were much more nostalgic. He even smiled when he realized they had kept their ticket stubs to Minoru’s first game. Minoru, Oikawa’s older brother, had been in his second year of university then, and played football.

 

Hajime remembers Oikawa being overly excited, cheering _embarrassingly_ loud for his older brother. The memory put a soft smile on Hajime’s lips. After the match, Oikawa became dead-set on playing a sport as well, spending weeks watching sports channels until he found volleyball to be the sport for him. Somehow or rather, Oikawa had convinced Hajime to play with him and that started their lives as two volleyball obsessed dorks.

 

Snickering, Hajime placed those ticket stubs in a separate pile. He sifted through tickets to the Sendai museum, tickets to the manga museum,  aquarium tickets, train tickets from that one time they went to Aoba castle. The sense of nostalgia within him deepened, and Hajime made sure that he’d thank Erica the next time he saw her.

 

Erica had always been a kind and loving sister, always bringing her younger brother and Hajime out on Saturdays. She would treat Hajime as if he was her own younger brother as well, and Hajime had always felt extremely grateful because he didn’t have any siblings of his own.

 

Humming at the thought, Hajime turned his attention to the box again, and notice a photo stuffed right at the back of the box. It was fitted neatly between the metal surface and what used to be Oikawa’s favourite sweater. As far as Hajime could guess, the sweater seemed to act as a bedding. With that in mind, Hajime reached for photograph instead.

 

It was a picture of just the both of them, and in the background stood the Aoba castle. They both had their arms around each other’s shoulders, Oikawa doing that ridiculous peace sign of his. Hajime smiles fondly at the photo. Looks at the picture closely, and he can see what the passing of 10 years has done to them. Years has taken away the roundness of their bodies, the chubbiness of their cheeks. They’re now much taller, limbs longer and slimmer, muscle built upon hours and hours of practicing volleyball ever present. Their jaws have sharpened, that’s for sure, Hajime thinks.

 

(But Tooru still looks as pretty as he did then).

 

Immediately shelving that thought for much, _much_ later, Hajime puts the photo down on the table. He’d take a picture of it with his phone later.

 

Once again peeking into the box, it seemed that the only item left was Oikawa’s old sweater. Carefully picking it up by the shoulders, Hajime lifted it only to find a walkie-talkie in between the folds.

 

Surprised overtook Hajime’s features, before understanding took it’s place and Hajime shook his head vehemently. He remembers very clearly what it’s doing here.

 

Hajime remembers how Oikawa thought it was necessary that they bury a walkie-talkie in here just in case aliens abducted one of them and the other needed a way to contact him. Thinking back, Oikawa had insisted so strongly that Hajime couldn’t say no despite how absurd the idea actually was. Seeing Oikawa grin triumphantly was enough to convince Hajime that it was a good idea to agree.  

 

(Remembering Oikawa’s grin led to the feeling of butterflies flying in Hajime’s stomach.)

  
  
  
  
  


 

 

(Not that he’ll ever admit it.)

  
  
  
  


 

 

 

Admittedly, Hajime knew better than to fall for someone like Oikawa. Oikawa was… _Oikawa_. He’s devious and cunning and an asshole, conceited and whiny and stubborn and flirtatious as hell.

 

(Hajime doesn’t think about Oikawa’s ex-girlfriend, or any other pretty girl Oikawa talks about.)

 

But he’s also Hajime’s best friend, and he’s intelligent and hardworking and so, _so_ beautiful.

 

(It’s years too late to back out now.)

 

Removing the walkie-talkie and the sweater, Hajime thinks he missed something. Nothing here told him why Oikawa wanted him to dig all of this up. Frowning, Hajime tilts the box towards him, and then he sees it.

 

Two white envelops.

 

Blood thumps in his ears, and his heartbeat quickens. He picks the two envelops up slowly, not sure what to expect. Was this why Oikawa wanted him to open the box?

 

Turning the thin paper around, his eyes widen, and his breathing stops.

 

Written on the envelop, was his old, messy handwriting, and Hajime cringed at how lousy it was. Flipping the other one around, he looks at what he assumes to be Oikawa’s handwriting, and feels slightly better that Oikawa’s handwriting was just as horrible as his.

 

He tries to think, tries to remember what’s inside these white envelops hidden at the bottom of the box.

 

He can’t remember. Can’t remember at all and somehow that makes him anxious.

 

You’re overthinking this, he thinks, it’s just stupid Oikawa and his stupid ideas.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be on the safe side, Hajime opens his first.

 

His palms are sweating and he’s a little clumsy in opening the envelop. He doesn’t know what to expect, and his heart is thudding hard even though this is the envelop _he_ wrote things in, not Tooru.

 

Fingers shaking a little, Hajime pulls out the piece of paper safely tucked inside.  He fumbled while opening them, and Hajime would’ve slapped himself calm if he was thinking straight.

 

The first thing Hajime reads is “goals” written in big, pink colored lettering in chalk. Continuing, Hajime sees that he’s written down things like “make it to the volleyball team” and “put a beetle in Tou-chan’s shirt drawer”.

 

Reading the very last sentence, Hajime realizes that this is a list of things he wanted to achieve before graduating high school.

 

For some reason, he’s a little disappointed.

 

He still wipes his palms on his jeans before reaching for Oikawa’s envelop.

 

Opening it hastily, he tries to comprehend the messy scribble of words.

 

  1. Get into a volleyball team

  2. Become really good at volleyball!!

  3. Study really hard

  4. Visit Tokyo one day




 

Continuing down the list, Iwaizumi felt his eyebrows furrow. Nothing on the list seemed out of the ordinary, and he felt disappointment sink to his knees when he neared the end of the list. Oikawa had a much longer list than he did, and he felt a sullen once he finished the last line. Hajime didn’t know what he was expecting, but his heart sunk a little.

 

(What had he been hoping for?)

 

Sighing heavily through his mouth, Hajime puts the letter down and got up to make a cup of hot chocolate.

 

Really, what had he expected? A love confession from his crush hidden somewhere in a box they buried a decade ago? Hajime couldn’t believe what he was thinking.

 

(It would’ve been nice to hope, though.)

  


Stirring the drink so that the chocolate and milk spreads everywhere, Hajime returns to the table. Taking a sip from the cup, he eyes all the items again, thinking that maybe he must’ve missed something because Oikawa wouldn’t ask him to dig the box up and open it to nothing.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, he sees it.

  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

Hajime drops his cup.

  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

Written on the back of the letter in small, almost illegible handwriting, right at the bottom left corner was five words.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_Tell Hajime I love him._

  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

(He didn’t even hear the cup crack.)

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

It’s night when he finally calls Oikawa on the phone.

 

“I dug it up,” Hajime says immediately when he hears the other pick up.

 

“Oh.”

 

“And I opened it.”

 

“...Oh.”

 

“...”

 

“...”

 

“...”

 

“What did you find-”

 

“ _Six_.”

 

There’s silence on the other side of the line before there’s a confused ‘huh?’ sounded through the phone. Hajime could’ve smiled himself silly.

 

“I’ve loved you for six.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading my first Iwaoi fic and my first fic on this site \\(//v//)/ 
> 
> I'm [heath-hasekuras](http://heath-hasekuras.tumblr.com) on tumblr come talk to me about Iwaoi!!


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